Honey Wine Mead is the Perfect Drink For Valentine's Day By Will Kalif

If you would like to try something special and different for Valentine's Day try some wine called Mead. It is brewed from honey rather than grapes; it has a beautiful golden color and a very long tradition of love.

Mead goes by many names and over the centuries it has been called honey-wine, nectar of the gods, and even honeymoon wine. This last name stemmed from a tradition to give a 30-day supply of it to newly married couples. It was said that if they drank a glass every day for the first thirty days of their marriage it would bring them happiness and fertility.

Chocolate, flowers, candy and cards are wonderful traditions that have lasted decades now. But for centuries longer there was the tradition of drinking Mead that was shared by couples. Make this holiday special and try some. It has been around for many hundreds of years and it has been speculated that it was the first alcoholic beverage ever made. This is a matter of debate but one thing that is not up for debate is the delicious nature of this beautiful wine brewed from honey.

So If you are looking for a little something special to do on Valentine's day I recommend you give Mead a try. It is a brilliant little drink and will make for an interesting new experience and conversation piece.

Honey wine is a very popular drink world-wide but is lesser known in North America and if you are considering a purchase of it you may want to call your local wine retail shop ahead of time to see if they have any in stock.

Want to learn how to make your own honey wine mead? Visit the author's website where he has tutorials, articles and videos all about this wonderful ancient drink: The Art of Making Mead

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_Kalif

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/979813

The Valentine's Berry Kiss Beverage By H. Luiz Martinez

Want to make a delicious beverage for Valentine's Day? Try the Berry Kiss!

All you need is a GLASS pitcher (plastic pitchers give off a "plasticy taste" to beverages) and you need fresh berries - raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. A bag of Frozen berries (without strawberries) may also be used and sometimes even better since the frozen berries are "fast-frozen" fresh and keeps the drink super cold (this beverage is better tasting when it's chilled.) You also need a 2-liter bottle of lemon-lime soda as well as 2 cups of strawberry syrup mix - not strawberries (again, I tried and fresh strawberries turn "white" and not so attractive in the pitcher.) Also, the juice of one lemon or two limes (I prefer the limes.)

The recipe is pretty easy: Pour the 2 cups of the strawberry mix (this really just adds the "strawberry taste" plus sugar and color to the drink) along with your berries (remember - no strawberries) and add the juice of your lemon (or limes) in and stir. Then, add your lemon-lime soda and give the pitcher a final stir (try not to break the berries). Chill in the fridge for at least an hour for best flavor. Most times I add fresh mint too. The coor is an amazing shade of deep reddish pink - Perfect for Valentine's Day or any Holiday. This recipe also works well if you wanted to add Champagne or Proseco instead of the soda.

Either way, you'll have a great tasting beverage for your Valentine's Day Lunch or Dinner - The Berry Kiss.

Enjoy!:)

http://www.hluizpresents.com

"H. Luiz Presents..." a professional site for Information, Special Interests, and Entertainment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3700035

beverage tub for your delight

This review is from: Achla Designs C-52 Embossed Galvanized Tub (Lawn & Patio)
www.amazon.com

The Tub came and it was elegant like I thought. It came just as the message told me that it would receive. It is a little small but perfect for us. This is a great gift for our 3rd Anniversary. It will be very intertaining at our outings. The Tub is real shinny and elegant not like the tubs I have received before. (the old tubs)

The Food and Drug Administration By Joseph Devine

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency in the United States Department of Health and Health Services. It is responsible for the regulation of most types of food, drugs, medical devices, veterinary equipment, and cosmetics. Additionally, the FDA regulates sanitation on interstate highways as well as disease control regulations on specific situations, from pets like turtles that carry salmonella to semen and egg donations. In 2008, the agency received a $2.1 billion budget to perform its duties, which is a $105.8 million dollar increase from 2007.

Most of the regulations enforced by the FDA are codified into law by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Safety specifications vary according to each product, especially in regards to its potential risks. The Food and Drug Administration Act heavily regulates all prescription medication, including all steps of production, from testing, manufacturing, marketing, and labeling to efficacy, safety, and distribution, because of its large set of inherent risks. The FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is responsible for the monitoring of medication, with different requirements for new drugs, generic drugs, and over-the-counter medicine.

New medications must undergo extensive investigation in a process called the New Drug Application (NDA). Generic drugs are prescription medications whose patents have expired, and are therefore available for other companies to manufacture and market. The non-patented versions must be interchangeable or equivalent to the original substance. Over-the-counter medications must be deemed safe without a doctor's prescription.

Interestingly enough, diet drugs and supplements are not subject to the strict requirements of all prescription medication, as they fall under the jurisdiction of Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. This department monitors all food products, with the exception of meat and alcoholic beverages containing more than 7% alcohol. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 officially evaluated weight loss supplements as food rather than drugs, thereby removing them from the extensive safety and efficacy testing of the New Drug Application. The FDA can only pursue action against a supplement after it proves to be harmful to a person's health. This unfortunate situation has allowed several drugs, such as Fen-phen and Redux, to inflict large amounts of physical pain on users. Both supplements were responsible for heart valve damage and primary pulmonary hypertension cases in the mid 1990's.

If you are interested in learning more, this website contains helpful FDA information and this site showcases the dangers of diet drugs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1170139

How Drugs Work By Nate Rodnay

Drugs have become an important element in the history of medicine to cure or increase the immunity in humans against various diseases. Due to continuous innovation, research and development in the past 4-5 decades, drugs are now available to cure majority of diseases. When taken in prescribed amount, drugs are used as pain killers, antibiotics, antiallergic etc. Although, drugs are primarily used for medicinal purposes, they are also abused for their properties. Drugs are classified into three types: Over-The-Counter (OTC), Behind-The-Counter (BTC), and Prescription Only Medicines (POM).

Over-The-Counter drugs are easily available at pharmacies, gas stations etc with less restrictions. Behind-The-Counter drugs are sold by pharmacists and require no prior prescription by doctor, while a physician's prescription is mandatory to get Prescription Only Medicines.

Act As Stimulants and Relaxants
Drugs are primarily used for any purpose as they act as stimulants and relaxants. Most drugs target the receptor site by binding to it. They either stop the physiological function of protein or produce the same effect. Some drugs also target the enzymes which control the rate of chemical reactions. Thus when drugs reaches the brain through bloodstream they slow down the central nervous system. They can either stimulate or reduce the senses, decrease alertness and consciousness, give sense of relaxation, drowsiness, or hyperactivity. Coffee is the most commonly used psychotropic beverage used as a stimulant.

Medical Use
Drugs are put to variety of medical uses to treat diseases at various levels of severity, reduce pains, psychological disorders, cardiovascular disorders etc. Medicines like aspirin, Paracetamol directly act on peripheral and central nervous system and give relief from pain. Drugs are also used as antibiotic which is used to treat various diseases. They are used as antidepressants, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, antipsychotic to treat psychological or mental disorders. Illegal drugs like heroin which is synthesized from morphine also have medical uses and is used to relieve pain. Marijuana is used in treatment of glaucoma, cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and chronic pain.

Non-Medical Use:

Recreation
Besides medical uses, prescription and illegal drugs are widely used for recreation purpose. The drug use for having recreation is considered illegal. Some of the major psychoactive drugs that are used for recreational purpose are methamphetamines, cocaine, opium, ecstasy etc. People get addicted to psychoactive drugs as they feel sudden burst of energy, relaxation, calmness, euphoria etc. Recreational drug use may lead to addiction or substance dependence. Recreational drug use can have adverse effects on social, family, and professional life.

Sports
Drugs use in sports to improve performance is strictly banned. Many athletes, sportsmen have been tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs and anabolic steroids. Sportsperson uses these drugs to improve their performance as it increases their strength by building mass and muscles and increases delivery of oxygen to tissues. These drugs reduce fatigue, increases alertness, and increases heart beat, breathing rate, and activity of brain.

Masking Pains And Drug Use
Sportspersons often receive injuries during the course of training, matches, or events. To overcome the pain caused by these injuries, the sportspersons use drugs to reduce this pain and mask their injuries and continue participating in events. Narcotics like morphine, methadone, heroin are used to treat pain. Protein hormones like Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisone helps to reduce inflammation on injuries. Local anesthetics are also used to reduce pain of injuries.

Sports-persons also use some drugs to mask the presence of other drugs. Drugs like epitestosterone can be used to cover up the use of testosterone, Plasma expanders can be used to dilute concentration levels of banned substance, while use of secretion inhibitors can result in erroneous urine drug test results. Drugs are also used for spiritual and religious use, which are called 'Entheogens'. Smart drugs which are also called as 'Nootropics' are said to improve cognitive abilities like memory, concentration, mood, thought, intelligence, attention etc by improving oxygen supply to brain and improving nerve growth.

DrugTestStrips.com is an online store offering drug test kit and Drug Screening Products in several formats including Blood, Urine and Oral drug testing kit. DrugTestStrips.com offers FDA-approved urine drug testing kit as well as DOT-approved alcohol testing products. Some of the popular products are Ovulation tests, Marijuana drug test, Drug test nicotine, Breathalyzer and Oral Drug Test.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Rodnay

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3635289

How To Prevent Alcohol And Drug Addiction By David Richards

Drug addiction is a serious disorder. If not treated, it can lead to crises like loss of employment, living quarters and important relationships. And as if this weren't enough, this kind of addiction can cause illness and even death. Drug addiction is multi-layered and has a variety of causes as well as contributing factors. With the knowledge we have today, Simplistic anti-drug campaigns, such as the "Just Say No" program back in the 1980's, and even more complex programs like "War on Drugs" is not very effective. The reason for this is that these campaigns do not address the root causes of drug addiction but battles the symptoms not the causes of drug addiction.

When most people consider a drug addiction problem, their minds go automatically to old movies or TV-series. A junkie trembling on a street corner, selling her own body for her next fix, or a tragic, pale old man lying in a gutter with a needle in his arm, or even a college girl snorting a line of crystal meth in a frat house bathroom during a wild party. These images are powerful indeed, but drug addiction generally creeps up in a slow but determined pace. Months or years are passing, during which time the addicted person is still able to function in a job, maintain a place to live as well as keeping relationships going. A drug or alcohol addiction problem generally passes slowly through several phases. Just because someone you know has not lost everything he or she owns to drugs does not have to mean that he or she does not have a drug addiction problem.

One of the most insidious drug addiction is prescription drug addiction, followed closely by alcohol addiction. Let's face it; we are a nation of pill poppers and alcohol beverage drinkers. Since we were children we learned that if something hurts, we should take a pill to make the pain disappear. We also see that children are being prescribed drugs such as Ritalin in increasing amounts, as parents and doctors smudge the line between active, healthy kids and kids with a true Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). All the time we are bombarded with advertising for pain relievers, sleep medication and a lot of other remedies; prescribed and over the counter. Seen from this point of view, prescription drug addiction is not hard to understand. We hardly question the doctor thoroughly about the risk of dependency on any medication, since using medicine for almost any problem is so widely accepted. It's so easy to take the drug without question and before we know it, we may have developed a prescription drug addiction.

Alcohol addiction is almost as easy to develop for much the same reason. We live in a culture of drinking. We often go out for cocktails after work or drinking beer with friends during a sports event slowly gives way to having one, two, three, even six or eight beers every night. It feels normal to continually re-visit the bar during a night at a pub. Next thing we identify is a full-blown alcohol drug addiction.

How harsh (or maybe great) it may sound, you are the only person that can prevent alcohol or drug addiction, due to the choices or decisions you make. Although addiction is classified as a disease, it may well be one of the few diseases that people choose to get. Each drug or alcohol addicted person started their life as an addict by making a choice. You are free to make the same choice or you can choose to not allow drug addiction to be your disease. It's your choice and whether you like it or not, it is the price you have to pay for being a human with a free will.addiction a seat in your life. It's up to you.

David Richards is a publisher of facts about alcoholism. You can go to alcoholism treatments for more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Richards

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/757465

Combination of Nicotine, Alcohol and Drugs Increases of Health Damage By Sasha Maoory

Nicotine and Alcohol

Individuals who smoke and drink heavily are 38 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal (mouth-throat) cancer. By comparison, those who just drink have 6 times the risk, those who just smoke, 7 times. The risk of combined use is closer to being multiplicative than merely additive.

One clue lies in studies showing that long-term alcohol consumption increases levels of cytochrome P450, a metabolic enzyme responsible for converting the tar in cigarettes to cancer-causing chemicals.

Nicotine can also mitigate alcohol-related motor and coordination difficulties-hence the drinker who lights up to "steady his nerves."

By normalizing levels of vasopressin, a neurochemical messenger, nicotine can help counteract alcohol-induced memory impairment.

Nicotine and drugs

While the combined use of tobacco and other drugs can increase their pleasurable effects, it can also have grave health consequences.

Smokers who regularly use tobacco in combination with marijuana or crack cocaine likewise run an increased risk of cancer when compared to single-substance users. Many of the carcinogenic chemicals present in tobacco are found in marijuana, some at substantially higher levels. Individuals who smoke both drugs receive double doses of carcinogens.

On balance, though, the use of tobacco with other drugs is have a harmful effect on health, both because of the tendency to consume more of the combined substances and because of specific interactive effects like multiplied cancer risk.

Smoking is an acquired skill. By learning to inhale smoke into their lungs, individuals acquire the behaviour necessary for consuming marijuana and crack cocaine. Because underage smoking is illegal, adolescent tobacco users also learn to develop a set of masking behaviours that can serve to hide later illicit drug use.

Nicotine and caffeine

The relationship between nicotine and caffeine is complex, but researchers have shown that rats chronically exposed to caffeine self-administer nicotine at higher-than-control levels.

Compared to non-smokers, heavy smokers also prefer more heavily caffeinated beverages, such as coffee rather than tea. In addition to caffeine, other drugs shown to increase nicotine consumption in animals include pentobarbital, amphetamines, methadone, and heroin.

Finally, there is the effect of tobacco itself. Smokers have significantly lower levels of monoamine oxidase-B, the enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine in the brain.

As a result, they are able to sustain higher levels of dopamine for longer periods of time, particularly if they continue smoking. Elevated dopamine means elevated pleasure; tobacco works synergistically with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and narcotics to provide a sustained high.

Hence alcohol and other drug users tend to smoke more heavily. The reverse is also true. Alcohol, a depressant, mitigates some of the adverse effects smokers' experience, such as an increased heart rate.

And alcohol activates nicotine metabolizing enzymes, which makes it necessary to consume more tobacco to achieve the accustomed effect.

Sasha Maoory - doctor and Internet writer. Visit my personal blogs http://saysmokingno.blogspot.com and http://waysquitsmoking.blogsome.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sasha_Maoory

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1802350